for static

[munjal upadhyay]

class Animal {
  static void dostuff() {
    System.out.print("a ");
  }
}
class Dog extends Animal {
  static void dostuff() {         // it's a redefinition,
                                   // not an override
    System.out.print("d ");
  }
  public static void main (String [] args) {
    Animal [] a = {new Animal(), new Dog(), new Animal()};
    for (int x = 0; x < a.length; x++)
      a[x].doStuff();                // invoke the static method
  }
}

Running this code produces the output:

a a a



why the output is a a a ???

[ramesh maredu]

I think you are expecting to overriding take place and produce different output, remember overriding is applicable to "objects", static methods are class level.

[munjal upadhyay]

ramesh maredu wrote:I think you are expecting to overriding take place and produce different output, remember overriding is applicable to "objects", static methods are class level.

I know that., this is the example of the SCJP by kathy . but why the output is a a a ?
It must be a d a .!

[Seetharaman Venkatasamy]

munjal upadhyay wrote:but why the output is a a a ?
It must be a d a .!

really? I ask you one question - can we override a static method ? also *google about redefining vs overriding*

[ramesh maredu]

Because it is static method, overriding doesn't take place, when you say a.doStuff(), because doStuff() is static method compiler replaces reference with class name, so here after compiling code will be A.doStuff(), so it invokes A version of doStuff().

[Seetharaman Venkatasamy]

now got your confusion! the a[index] really is a reference of declared type i.e, Animal . it is not an object itself

[munjal upadhyay]

Seetharaman Venkatasamy wrote:now got your confusion! the a[index] really is a reference of declared type i.e, Animal . it is not an object itself

thanks I get it..

[munjal upadhyay]

sorry to intrupt again !!!
but if we cannot override the static method then what is this ?

              class A 
                 { 
                    static void methodA()
                       {System.out.println("in A");}
                    }
 
             class B extends A
                  { 
                     static void methodA()
                       {System.out.println("in B");}
                     
                     public static void main (String args[])
                       { 
                                             
                         A a=new A();
                         B b=new B();
                               
                         a.methodA(); 
                         b.methodA();

                         A.methodA(); 
                         B.methodA();

                         methodA();
                          
                         }

                    }

output ...
in A
in B
in A
in B
in B

[ramesh maredu]

A and B has their own and separate methodA(), the method in B is redefined, you are seeing out "in B" because you are calling methodA() in class B.

b.methodA() and B.methodA() both produces same output as after compilation reference would be replace with class name for static methods.